How to refer to Western Health
Western Health has developed referral guidelines for its specialist clinics, please see here.
We accept GP and specialist referrals for all Specialist Clinics. Referrals are triaged based on clinical need.
The standard information required on all referrals includes:
| Relevant investigations Relevant social history Current management of the condition and response to this Patient contact details, including need for an interpreter
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We have developed referral guidelines for many of our specialist clinics. Click here to access these guidelines. Referrals for the specialty areas that have referral guidelines in place will only be accepted at Western Health if they comply with the new guidelines. Referrals with insufficient information to facilitate triage will be returned with a request for additional information which may delay access to the service.
To refer a patient please complete a referral and fax to the relevant Specialist Clinic:
Women's Clinic (Maternity & Gynaecology)
Fax: 9055 2125
Phone: 8345 1727
Paediatric Specialist Clinics
Fax: 9055 2125
Phone: 8345 1727
Adult Specialist Clinics
Fax: 8345 6856
Phone: 8345 6490
If the referral is urgent please contact the Registrar of the relevant unit via switchboard on 8345 6666
Billing for MBS Clinics
For referrals to MBS (Medical Benefits Schedule) Clinics at Western Health, please address the referral to the relevant Head of Unit. Referral Guidelines for all Western Health Specialist Clinics, including Head of Unit details for MBS Clinics, are available here: GP Referrals to Specialist Clinics.
Referral Forms & Templates
Currently Western Health can only accept referrals via mail or fax - fax is preferred. At this stage, Western Health cannot accept referrals via the outpatient email address as this is unsecure.
To assist with including all required information Western Health prefers that you use the following templates. Referrals using a template from within your own practice system are also accepted providing that it includes all information required to triage.
Clinic Locations
Our specialist clinics are located across all sites including Sunshine Hospital, Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s at Sunshine Hospital, Footscray Hospital and Sunbury Day Hospital. You will be notified of the clinic location once you receive an appointment date.
Referral process
Before a Specialist Clinics appointment is made for the patient, referrals received by Specialist Clinics go through several steps.
Quality assurance process - clerical
A check by clerical staff that the referral contains the required clerical information
Quality assurance process – clinical
A check by nursing staff that the referral contains the required clinical information
Triage – Registrar or Consultant
The registrar or consultant will use the information you provide to triage the referral for urgency and determine the most appropriate clinic. Including as much information as possible is critical to ensure that the patient is triaged to the most appropriate clinic in the most appropriate time frame. Referrals with insufficient information to facilitate triage will be returned with a request for additional information which may delay access to the service.
Waitlist /make appointment
Depending on the triage category; Urgent or Routine the patient will either be allocated an appointment or placed on a waiting list.
Notification of appointment
Patients will be notified by mail of their appointment, except in the case of Urgent appointments where the patient will be contacted by phone.
It is appreciated if GPs could contact Western Health if their patient no longer needs their appointment to ensure that appointment times are able to be given to others waiting.
Communication to GPs about outcomes of referral
GPs are kept informed of the outcome of their referral throughout the process at several stages:
When the referral has been received in our specialist clinics
When the referral has been triaged
When the appointment has been booked
Once your patient is seen in an outpatient clinic, the consultant or registrar will write a progress letter to the referring GP
Interpreting services
Interpreting services are provided free of charge within the hospital. Please request an interpreter for the language required when the appointment is made.
For more information contact:
GP Integration
Phone: 8345 1735
Fax: 8345 1180
Email [email protected]
or
Specialist clinics - on the numbers above
If the referral is urgent please contact the Registrar of the relevant unit via switchboard on 8345 6666
